FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet Parasitol / Long-term study of Cryptosporidium prevalence on a lowland f...
Veterinary parasitology2003; 116(2); 97-113; doi: 10.1016/s0304-4017(03)00261-9

Long-term study of Cryptosporidium prevalence on a lowland farm in the United Kingdom.

Abstract: A longitudinal sample survey testing for Cryptosporidium in livestock and small wild mammals conducted over 6 years (1992-1997) on a lowland farm in Warwickshire, England, has shown the parasite to be endemic and persistently present in all mammalian categories. Faecal samples were taken throughout the year and oocysts concentrated by a formal ether sedimentation method for detection by immunofluorescence staining using a commercially available genus specific monoclonal antibody. Cryptosporidium parvum was identified by morphology and measurement of modified Ziehl-Neelsen stained oocysts. C. muris was rarely found in wild mammals and C. andersoni oocysts were never detected in livestock. Faecal samples from 3721 individuals gave cumulative 6-year prevalences for C. parvum as follows: bull beef, 3.6%; dairy cows, 3.5%; ewes, 6.4%; horses, 8.9%; calves (home bred), 52%; calves (bought-in) 23.2%; lambs, 12.9%; small wild mammals (rodents) living in and around farm buildings, 32.8%; small wild mammals (mainly rodents) living in areas of pasture, 29.9%. Animal categories with the highest prevalences also shed the highest average oocyst numbers per gram of faeces (ranging from 1.4 x 10(3) for bull beef to 1.1 x 10(5) for calves). Analysis of annual and seasonal data for each animal category revealed that patterns of infection were variable and sporadic; this means that short-term sampling was never likely to provide a true or representative picture. Seasonally combined data for adult livestock, young livestock and small wild mammals showed all three categories tended to have the highest Cryptosporidium prevalences in the autumn. Calves were separated from their dams within 24h of birth and yet showed high prevalence of infection in most years despite the low prevalence for the dairy herd. It is possible the coincidence of high autumn prevalence in mice with the main period for the rearing of calves contributed to the infection of the latter. The farming estate was used to teach students of agriculture and took pride in good land management and husbandry practices that produced well fed and healthy livestock. The data from this estate may represent, therefore, the baseline, the lowest possible levels to be expected, for Cryptosporidium infection and oocyst production on a lowland farm in the United Kingdom.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2003-10-02 PubMed ID: 14519315DOI: 10.1016/s0304-4017(03)00261-9Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research is a six-year longitudinal survey on a lowland farm in England chronicling the prevalence of the Cryptosporidium parasite across different mammalian species. The focus is on both livestock and small wild mammals, revealing the parasite to be consistently present and prevalent throughout the year with seasonal variations.

Methodology

  • The study was conducted from 1992-1997 and involved fecal samples taken throughout the year from various mammalian species in a lowland farm in Warwickshire, England.
  • The detection of the Cryptosporidium parasite was done through a formal ether sedimentation method, focusing on oocyst concentration. The detection further processed by using immunofluorescence staining applying a commercially available genus-specific monoclonal antibody.
  • Two Cryptosporidium species were primarily identified: Cryptosporidium parvum and Cryptosporidium muris were identified based on their morphology and measurements of their modified Ziehl-Neelsen stained oocysts. Cryptosporidium andersoni oocysts were never detected in the livestock samples.

Findings

  • Description of prevalence in various mammals; the highest occurrence of the parasite was found in home-bred calves (52%) and small wild mammals such as rodents in and around farm buildings (32.8%) and rodents in pasture (29.9%). The lowest occurrences were observed in bull beef and dairy cows (around 3.5% for both).
  • The study also found that the mammals with the highest prevalence of the parasite also shed the highest number of oocysts per gram of feces.
  • Another discovery was that the patterns of infection were sporadic and varied, implying that short-term sampling would likely not provide an accurate representation of Cryptosporidium prevalence.

Seasonality of Prevalence

  • Seasonally combined data for adult livestock, young livestock and small wild mammals showed all three categories tended to have highest Cryptosporidium prevalences in the autumn.
  • Despite calves being separated from their dams within 24 hours of birth, they showed a high rate of infection in most years. This suggests that the high prevalence of infection in the fall season could have contributed to the relatively high infection rate among calves.

Conclusions

  • The study concludes that Cryptosporidium prevalence in British lowland farms may be higher than previously thought. It underscores the need for adequate parasite management practices on farms to ensure the health and productivity of both livestock and wildlife.
  • The farming estate used for this study maintained high standards of land management, and the collected data might, therefore, represent the lowest possible levels to be expected for Cryptosporidium infection and oocyst production on a similar farm in the United Kingdom.

Cite This Article

APA
Sturdee AP, Bodley-Tickell AT, Archer A, Chalmers RM. (2003). Long-term study of Cryptosporidium prevalence on a lowland farm in the United Kingdom. Vet Parasitol, 116(2), 97-113. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0304-4017(03)00261-9

Publication

Veterinary parasitology
ISSN: 0304-4017
NlmUniqueID: 7602745
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
Volume: 116
Issue: 2
Pages: 97-113

Researcher Affiliations

Sturdee, A P
  • Cell and Molecular Biosciences, School of Science and Environment, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK. t.sturdee@coventry.ac.uk
Bodley-Tickell, A T
    Archer, A
      Chalmers, R M

        MeSH Terms

        • Animals
        • Animals, Domestic / parasitology
        • Animals, Wild / parasitology
        • Cryptosporidiosis / epidemiology
        • Cryptosporidiosis / veterinary
        • Cryptosporidium / isolation & purification
        • Cryptosporidium parvum / isolation & purification
        • Feces / parasitology
        • Female
        • Male
        • Oocysts
        • Parasite Egg Count / veterinary
        • Prevalence
        • Seasons
        • United Kingdom / epidemiology

        Citations

        This article has been cited 24 times.
        1. Wang Y, Li X, Chen X, Kulyar MF, Duan K, Li H, Bhutta ZA, Wu Y, Li K. Gut Fungal Microbiome Responses to Natural Cryptosporidium Infection in Horses. Front Microbiol 2022;13:877280.
          doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.877280pubmed: 35875530google scholar: lookup
        2. Kivistö R, Kämäräinen S, Huitu O, Niemimaa J, Henttonen H. Zoonotic Cryptosporidium spp. in Wild Rodents and Shrews. Microorganisms 2021 Oct 28;9(11).
          doi: 10.3390/microorganisms9112242pubmed: 34835368google scholar: lookup
        3. Åberg M, Emanuelson U, Troell K, Björkman C. Infection dynamics of Cryptosporidium bovis and Cryptosporidium ryanae in a Swedish dairy herd. Vet Parasitol X 2019 May;1:100010.
          doi: 10.1016/j.vpoa.2019.100010pubmed: 32904819google scholar: lookup
        4. Wells B, Paton C, Bacchetti R, Shaw H, Stewart W, Plowman J, Katzer F, Innes EA. Cryptosporidium Prevalence in Calves and Geese Co-Grazing on Four Livestock Farms Surrounding Two Reservoirs Supplying Public Water to Mainland Orkney, Scotland. Microorganisms 2019 Oct 30;7(11).
          doi: 10.3390/microorganisms7110513pubmed: 31671699google scholar: lookup
        5. Attia MM, Khalifa MM, Atwa MT. The prevalence and intensity of external and internal parasites in working donkeys (Equus asinus) in Egypt. Vet World 2018 Sep;11(9):1298-1306.
          doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2018.1298-1306pubmed: 30410237google scholar: lookup
        6. Abeywardena H, Jex AR, Gasser RB. A perspective on Cryptosporidium and Giardia, with an emphasis on bovines and recent epidemiological findings. Adv Parasitol 2015 Apr;88:243-301.
          doi: 10.1016/bs.apar.2015.02.001pubmed: 25911369google scholar: lookup
        7. Wagnerová P, Sak B, McEvoy J, Rost M, Matysiak AP, Ježková J, Kváč M. Genetic diversity of Cryptosporidium spp. including novel identification of the Cryptosporidium muris and Cryptosporidium tyzzeri in horses in the Czech Republic and Poland. Parasitol Res 2015 Apr;114(4):1619-24.
          doi: 10.1007/s00436-015-4353-ypubmed: 25722018google scholar: lookup
        8. Wells B, Shaw H, Hotchkiss E, Gilray J, Ayton R, Green J, Katzer F, Wells A, Innes E. Prevalence, species identification and genotyping Cryptosporidium from livestock and deer in a catchment in the Cairngorms with a history of a contaminated public water supply. Parasit Vectors 2015 Feb 4;8:66.
          doi: 10.1186/s13071-015-0684-xpubmed: 25650114google scholar: lookup
        9. Smith RP, Clifton-Hadley FA, Cheney T, Giles M. Prevalence and molecular typing of Cryptosporidium in dairy cattle in England and Wales and examination of potential on-farm transmission routes. Vet Parasitol 2014 Aug 29;204(3-4):111-9.
          doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2014.05.022pubmed: 24909077google scholar: lookup
        10. Izadi M, Jonaidi-Jafari N, Saburi A, Eyni H, Rezaiemanesh MR, Ranjbar R. Cryptosporidiosis in Iranian Farm Workers and Their Household Members: A Hypothesis about Possible Zoonotic Transmission. J Trop Med 2014;2014:405875.
          doi: 10.1155/2014/405875pubmed: 24876850google scholar: lookup
        11. Gillhuber J, Rügamer D, Pfister K, Scheuerle MC. Giardiosis and other enteropathogenic infections: a study on diarrhoeic calves in Southern Germany. BMC Res Notes 2014 Feb 26;7:112.
          doi: 10.1186/1756-0500-7-112pubmed: 24568139google scholar: lookup
        12. Bhat SA, Juyal PD, Singh NK, Singla LD. Coprological investigation on neonatal bovine cryptosporidiosis in Ludhiana, Punjab. J Parasit Dis 2013 Apr;37(1):114-7.
          doi: 10.1007/s12639-012-0143-ypubmed: 24431551google scholar: lookup
        13. Stuart P, Golden O, Zintl A, de Waal T, Mulcahy G, McCarthy E, Lawton C. A coprological survey of parasites of wild carnivores in Ireland. Parasitol Res 2013 Oct;112(10):3587-93.
          doi: 10.1007/s00436-013-3544-7pubmed: 23900557google scholar: lookup
        14. De Waele V, Van den Broeck F, Huyse T, McGrath G, Higgins I, Speybroeck N, Berzano M, Raleigh P, Mulcahy GM, Murphy TM. Panmictic structure of the Cryptosporidium parvum population in Irish calves: influence of prevalence and host movement. Appl Environ Microbiol 2013 Apr;79(8):2534-41.
          doi: 10.1128/AEM.03613-12pubmed: 23396342google scholar: lookup
        15. Fletcher SM, Stark D, Harkness J, Ellis J. Enteric protozoa in the developed world: a public health perspective. Clin Microbiol Rev 2012 Jul;25(3):420-49.
          doi: 10.1128/CMR.05038-11pubmed: 22763633google scholar: lookup
        16. Silverlås C, Blanco-Penedo I. Cryptosporidium spp. in calves and cows from organic and conventional dairy herds. Epidemiol Infect 2013 Mar;141(3):529-39.
          doi: 10.1017/S0950268812000830pubmed: 22564291google scholar: lookup
        17. Chang'a JS, Robertson LJ, Mtambo MM, Mdegela RH, Løken T, Reksen O. Unexpected results from large-scale cryptosporidiosis screening study in calves in Tanzania. Ann Trop Med Parasitol 2011 Oct;105(7):513-9.
          doi: 10.1179/2047773211Y.0000000007pubmed: 22185946google scholar: lookup
        18. Zintl A, Mulcahy G, de Waal T, de Waele V, Byrne C, Clyne M, Holden N, Fanning S. An Irish perspective on Cryptosporidium. Part 2. Ir Vet J 2006 Sep 1;59(9):495-500.
          doi: 10.1186/2046-0481-59-9-495pubmed: 21851686google scholar: lookup
        19. Wang Y, Feng Y, Cui B, Jian F, Ning C, Wang R, Zhang L, Xiao L. Cervine genotype is the major Cryptosporidium genotype in sheep in China. Parasitol Res 2010 Jan;106(2):341-7.
          doi: 10.1007/s00436-009-1664-xpubmed: 19904561google scholar: lookup
        20. Foo C, Farrell J, Boxell A, Robertson I, Ryan UM. Novel Cryptosporidium genotype in wild Australian mice (Mus domesticus). Appl Environ Microbiol 2007 Dec;73(23):7693-6.
          doi: 10.1128/AEM.00848-07pubmed: 17921267google scholar: lookup
        21. Bednarska M, Bajer A, Sinski E, Girouard AS, Tamang L, Graczyk TK. Fluorescent in situ hybridization as a tool to retrospectively identify Cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia lamblia in samples from terrestrial mammalian wildlife. Parasitol Res 2007 Feb;100(3):455-60.
          doi: 10.1007/s00436-006-0276-ypubmed: 17004098google scholar: lookup
        22. Cox P, Griffith M, Angles M, Deere D, Ferguson C. Concentrations of pathogens and indicators in animal feces in the Sydney watershed. Appl Environ Microbiol 2005 Oct;71(10):5929-34.
          doi: 10.1128/AEM.71.10.5929-5934.2005pubmed: 16204506google scholar: lookup
        23. Sitjà-Bobadilla A, Padrós F, Aguilera C, Alvarez-Pellitero P. Epidemiology of Cryptosporidium molnari in Spanish gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L.) and European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) cultures: from hatchery to market size. Appl Environ Microbiol 2005 Jan;71(1):131-9.
          doi: 10.1128/AEM.71.1.131-139.2005pubmed: 15640180google scholar: lookup
        24. Zhou L, Fayer R, Trout JM, Ryan UM, Schaefer FW 3rd, Xiao L. Genotypes of Cryptosporidium species infecting fur-bearing mammals differ from those of species infecting humans. Appl Environ Microbiol 2004 Dec;70(12):7574-7.
          doi: 10.1128/AEM.70.12.7574-7577.2004pubmed: 15574965google scholar: lookup
        Subscribe to our newsletter
        Join 99,357 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.